Larin Paraske (1834–1904)

Larin Paraske was born Paraskeva Nikitina, the daughter of landless peasants or serfs in the Karelian region near the Finnish-Russian border. The family were ethnic Izhorians or Ingrians. She was orphaned at an early age. In 1853, she married Kaurila Teppananpoika, a poor farmer on the Finnish side of the border, with whom she had nine children; only three survived childhood. She became known as Larin Paraske (i.e. Paraske of Lari) after the name of her husband’s farm, Larila or Lari. Larin Paraske was illiterate, and took a variety of jobs to help support the family as her husband was constantly ill. She towed yawls along the River Taipaleenjoki, carried firewood, and cared for orphans. In 1887 her phenomenal memory and talent as a traditional rune singer was discovered by a local clergyman, who paid her to write down the songs she had learned. This collection of some 1,300 songs survives as the most voluminous compilation of folksongs known from Scandinavia. In 1891 the widowed Paraske travelled to Helsinki, where she had many illustrious visitors, including composer Jean Sibelius who sought inspiration in her songs, and two portraits of her were painted.